As much as £641m is being wasted each year from shoppers buying online goods they don’t want and failing to return them, according to a new report from marketing agency Gekko. The survey of 2,000 UK adults conducted by One Poll on behalf of Gekko revealed that 27% of respondents (equating to 12.4m UK adults) order goods online they regret buying but fail to return.
The agency said the average amount wasted every year is £51.90 per person equating to £641m overall. Nearly a third of UK adults 31% also confess to being lured into buying items they don’t want or need and 70% regularly regret buying things online and send them back.
Additionally, nearly half felt that the ease of shopping online fuels extensive shopping habits and 43% said they also spend more money online than they originally intended.
Daniel Todaro, managing director of Gekko, said: “It’s clear from this research that online shopping can be a false economy. Although in theory we can return the goods we buy, many of us are too busy to bother, so what starts as convenient soon becomes costly and inconvenient.
“This results in unwanted goods cluttering cupboards, gathering dust in wardrobes or heading for landfill at an alarming rate.”
He added: “With our high street suffering and many people still enjoying its benefits such as try before you buy, excellent customer service and immediate purchasing experience, people should be more mindful before they click and get out and support their local businesses, help the environment and their pockets.”
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